Spark
by nightfall26
Summary: ON HIATUS; When Ichigo is faced with a damaging attack that leaves her face a patchwork of bruises, she begins to think about things. Why did Masaya not help her? Why did Ryou save her?
1. Decisions, decisions, decisions

**Hello everyone!!! Here's a new story!! **

**Hope you like it, and please review!**

**~nightfall 26**

Ichigo was confused, to say the least.

She sat in her room, hugging her knees to her chest and staring at the wall. She was thinking about Masaya. How many times had she comforted in those warm arms? How many days had she spent dreaming of him?

Now the spark was gone. Time after time he seemed to fail her, in little ways, in small disappointments. She didn't feel her heart thump against her rib cage when he neared her, nor did she long to see his face. Ichigo hadn't seen Masaya in several days, and normally by now her heart would be aching to see him. Lately, however, everything had dulled. They seemed to talk too much, text just a little too often, see each other just a little less than usual. Now that the Blue Knight had vanished from his body, it seemed his courage had as well. Just the other day, Ichigo had been approached by a girl named Shizawa who had gotten a boy to pin her in place and beaten her up.

_Flashback_

_Ichigo sat on the side of the fountain at Okasaga Park. Her ankles were crossed, and she was bent over a book. Her gaze was rooted to the pages, and she was studying for an upcoming exam.  
_

_"Hey, Ichigo." Came a voice. She looked up quickly, startled. Masaya stood in front of her, smiling. His face was aglow with simple happiness. She laughed quietly._

_"Hi, Masaya. How was practice?" She asked. He set his school bag down next to the fountain and sat next to her, smiling. _

_"It went well enough. Kendo is quite an exhausting sport." He said, wiping some sweat from his brow. Ichigo nodded and stuck a book mark in the textbook before shoving it in her bag. _

_"Shall we?" Her voice was playful, and she held her arm out for him to take. He chuckled quietly and looped his arm with hers, beginning the walk. As they turned down an alley-way, Ichigo noticed several shapes up ahead. Shadows, playing on the ground before them. Ichigo dropped Masaya's arm, feeling nervousness settle in the pit of her stomach. Two teenagers came walking towards them. A girl and a boy. _

_"Hello, Aoyama-kun." The girl purred, flicking her long, raven colored hair over one shoulder. Masaya smiled at her._

_"Hello, Shizawa." He said to her. Ichigo raised an eyebrow at their friendliness. _

_"Well, well. Is this your girlfriend? Isn't it good timing. Kajik, go ahead. Give her some bruises to show for being Aoyama-kuns lovely little girlfriend." Shisawa spat, hurrying over to Masaya. The boy looked at Shizawa before cracking his knuckles. Ichigo took a step back from them, her eyes filled with fear._

_**Wait, what am I doing? I'm a Mew mew! I can take them easily!** She thought, biting down on her lip and standing her ground. Masaya yelled at the girl once, then backed down when she whispered something in his ear. She wrapped her arms around him, stopping his stuggles effortlessly. Ichigo's mouth dropped open. How could he?! The boy advanced, brandishing his fists as a warning. Ichigo ran at him, smoothly leaping over their heads. She landed on the balls of her feet, smiling slightly. He growled, looking irritated, and walked towards her. Ichigo ducked underneath his blow, her smile remaining on her face. To her surprise, however, he grabbed her arms from behind. _

_"Hey!" She cried, kicking at him. He didn't even flinch. Shizawa, now in front of her, landed a punch square in her face. _

_She could only see Masaya's face as he watched. She screamed loudly, heartbreakingly, blood curdlingly. She shut her eyes against the next blow. _

_But it never came. The rough hands released her suddenly, and she collapsed to the ground, sobbing wretched sobs. _

_"Ichigo! Please, please, open your eyes..." _

_Ichigo opened her eye. One of them wouldn't open, and her face throbbed in pain. _

_Ryou knelt in front of her, his eyes filled with worry and distress. _

_"I took care of that little brat and her boyfriend. Was there anyone else around?" He asked, gathering her into his arms gently. She nodded slowly, the tears beginning to stop flowing._

_"Masaya was standing right there... Where is he?" _

_End of Flashback_

Ichigo buried her face in her knees. The bruises on her face had finally started to fade, yellowing in places. She was finally able to open her right eye. Her face had been a patchwork of purples and blues. Shizawa had spread things about her, horrible rumors that had ruined her reputation. Half the girls at school hated her now, over something she hadn't done. They all believed Shizawa's rumors. Truly, she hadn't done anything wrong. Masaya had promised to speak to the girls, but he hadn't to date. When she asked about it, he apologized profusely and hugged her. As if that would make her problems suddenly vanish.

He had just stood there, and watched. While she got beaten up.

It was true, the spark was gone.

What was even worse about this whole situation was that she was beginning to feel something towards someone else. She buried the feelings all the time, forcing herself not to think of him. No matter what she did, her heartbeat always accelerated when he was getting close to her. He helped her, saved her, defended her. Her face always turned three shades of red when he said something nice to her. That was quite rare, true, but miracles did tend to happen...  
Ichigo chuckled at her joke once. Her phone suddenly buzzed in her pocket. She pulled it out, and read the message hurriedly. It was from Masaya.

_Sorry, can't come see you. I have to do some family things, you know how it is. I want to see you though. -Masaya_

Ichigo snorted, containing dark laughter. She tossed the phone onto her pillows, rolling her eyes. He always had some excuse. The problem was, she knew how much he adored her. She knew how hard he tried. It was just who he was now, for real, without some awesome alien guy inside of him. Though how he could have watched her get punched in the face and just walk away was a mystery to her. With a sigh, she pushed herself off her bed and stood at the window. She really did like Masaya, for what it was worth. Just not the way he loved her. She felt her heart squeeze gently at what she was about to do. With a final thought, she walked back to her bed and picked up her phone. Quickly, she typed in a response to his message.

_It's okay, Masaya. I would like to talk to you. Tonight?_

Ichigo swallowed nervously before clicking the send button. She was going to break up with him. She had to. It was beginning to hurt her, all the constant stifling affections and pathetic excuses and all the hateful girls. Getting beaten up was the last straw. Once they knew he wasn't really worth it, they'd all forgive her, wouldn't they?

She could only hope.

So Masaya responded soon, saying he'd be glad to meet her in three hours at Okasaga Park. Ichigo smiled a little to herself. She walked over to the mirror, tossing her hair slightly and exhaling in nervousness. She had to tell the other Mews of her decision. They'd been such good friends, defending her against the nasty girls, comforting her when she sobbed over another Masaya disappointment. Ryou especially. He had been so amazing. Since he had saved her, he had comforted her every time she cried. Every time she was upset, he was always there. Ichigo threw on a jacket over her outfit, a black skirt, leggings, and a ruffled white shirt. She didn't bother to put her hair up. It helped to cover her wounds.

"Mom, I'm going to the Cafe!" She called, before walking out the door.

"Okay, honey, be back for dinner!" Her mom replied, waving once from the kitchen window. Ichigo smiled and began to trot at a nice pace to Cafe Mew Mew. Once she arrived, she called everyone to the kitchen.

"I want to thank all of you for being such good friends to me while I've been going through all of this junk with Masaya." She murmured, fidgeting slightly. Lettuce smiled.

"Of course, Ichigo-san, we'll help with anything." She said, patting Ichigo's shoulder. Pudding laughed and jumped up on the countertop.

"We love you, na no da!" She exclaimed, grinning madly. Zahuro nodded from her position in the corner, her arms folded over her chest. Minto lifted her nose into the air.  
"I don't know why we do this for you, Ichigo, we never get anything in return." She replied snootily, smoothing her apron. Ichigo sighed. That was the most she could expect from Minto. Keiichiro smiled warmly.

"I want to say that I'm breaking up with Masaya. I've had enough, really, truly, had enough." Ichigo said, her voice clear and strong. From behind the swinging doors, Ryou's eyes widened. But he hid swiftly behind the wall and calmed his racing heart.

"What brought you to this decision, Ichigo-san?" Lettuce asked curiously, cocking her head. Ichigo pursed her lips.

"Well, I believe that the 'spark' is gone from the relationship. Sure, he's good and steady, but he won't defend me, and almost always lets me down. I mean, look at me. The bruises have almost faded from my face." Ichigo explained, sticking her hands in the pockets of her jacket. Lettuce nodded slowly. Minto looked over at Ichigo briefly, nodding once. She looked a little concerned. But only a little.

"Good decision." Zahuro said from her corner. Ichigo smiled brightly.

"So when are you going to break up with him, na no da?" Pudding asked, bouncing down from the counter. Ichigo laughed.

"In a little while." The walk down had taken an hour, since she had been slow, and the talk so far had lasted quite a bit. Lettuce nodded.

"You'd better do it soon." Lettuce murmured. Ichigo exhaled heavily, her heart racing.  
"I should, I know, but I don't want to." She chuckled quietly. But her friends ushered her out the door, and she walked out, nervousness setting in.

So she was on her way.

**Please review!!! If I get reviews, I'll continue the story!!! **

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**~Nightfall26**


	2. Beginning the Hurting

**Here's your next chapter! I got it up pretty quick this time! Hooray for me! **

**I wish I owned Tokyo Mew Mew, but I don't, or else I SO would have done this to the show.**

**~Nightfall26**

ICHIGO POV

My heart thrummed anxiously in my chest, and my palms were sweating. I walked down the empty sidewalks, barely noticing when my feet touched puddles. I was nervous, yes, but I did want to do this. I didn't want to be attached to him any longer. I clenched my fists.

"Ichigo!" Cried a voice from behind me. I spun my head around, my jaw dropping. Shirogane was hurrying towards me, stopping in front of me.

"Shirogane-san? What is it?" I asked, curious. He walked closer, smiling softly. His blonde hair was mussed on top, and his cerulean eyes sparkled in the meager light.

"You're going to be fine." He said, nodding to me once before heading back the way he came. I was absolutely shocked. I watched his back head off, at his black leather jacket and white pants. He tucked his hands into his pockets, bowing his head slightly. I shook myself. Shirogane had just been nice! Not that he hadn't been lately. He just went completely out of his way just to tell me a five-word sentence. I smiled once, biting down on my lower lip and beginning to walk towards Okasaga park. I had a bit more spring to my walk now. I had meaning.

Here goes nothing...

MASAYA POV

I was waiting for Ichigo. Nothing new. I chuckled once. My Ichigo, always late. I wondered what she could have to talk to me about. Maybe she wanted to go somewhere? I wasn't expecting anything big. I stretched, putting my hands behind my head and tilting my head back. The stars above me were quite lovely. I observed them for a moment before yawning. It was late, and Ichigo was still on her way. She'd texted me fifteen minutes ago saying she was on her way, at least. How long was she taking? I closed my eyes.

"Ichigo, where are you?" I murmured to myself, looking around me at the surrounding foliage. Maybe I'd draw some of the trees and plants. I picked up my small sketchbook from next to me, crouching down on my knees to draw a thistle. **(A/N: come on, Masaya, be a little more out going than your common weed! Haha.) **

So as I continued sketching, something caught my eye. A girl was walking down the road, staring straight ahead. Her red hair hung to her shoulders, shining in the moonlight. Her ruffled white shirt accented her black skirt, showing off her lily-pale arms and legs. I blushed.

Ichigo was here.

ICHIGO POV

I walked with confidence, passing the gates to the park with a faint smile on my face. Shirogane's face kept playing over and over in my head, his eyes glistening with simple kindness. I was happy. He'd never done that before. So happy, in fact, I seemed to have lost my nervousness.

However, as soon as I saw Masaya in the park, staring at me, I lost my hold on calm. I took a deep, shuddering breath. How was I expected to hurt him? He was quite dear to me, even though he had betrayed me so badly. I stood still for a moment, closing my eyes and forming a tranquil smile that curved my lips upward slightly. I opened my eyes to take the next step towards him. He stood up off of his knees gracefully, smiling at me. Once, that smile had held so much promise. So much joy had trickled into my heart when I'd seen that smile. It had sent me to sleep at night, calmed me, protected me. Now it held nothing but empty promises.

"Ichigo." He waved once, gesturing for me to come sit.

"It's late, you know." Masaya laughed, running a hand through his black hair. I nodded.

"Yes, I know. I just had something I had to speak to you at once about." I forced my racing heart to calm, and I swallowed the tears I was sure would come. Masaya looked puzzled.

"What is it? Has something happened?" He asked, those chocolate brown eyes so innocent. As if he had no idea. I took another deep breath.

"Yes. I've been thinking an awful lot, lately..."

"You're quite serious. That isn't normal." Masaya interrupted, his voice anxious. I bit my lip.

"Allow me to speak, Masaya, please, I know I'm being serious." I gave my voice some strength, which shocked him into silence. He nodded weakly.

"I think that we need to go our separate ways." I said, twisting my hands together. He blanched, his eyes widening in horror.

"No, Ichigo, no, no, no... Please..." He murmured, his voice barely a rasp. I sighed.

"Hear me out." I murmured.

"I was beaten up in front of you, Masaya. You're my boyfriend. Aren't you supposed to do something when people hurt your girlfriend? Shizawa just hugged you, and you stood there, in her arms. She spreads rumors about me, and you don't do anything. You stand there, like an innocent bystander. Shirogane stood up for me, and the girls back at Cafe Mew Mew. Shirogane hardly cares, but he does more than my own boyfriend. Tell me, Masaya, how is that right? When you had the Blue Knight, you were so amazing... So ready to defend me with your life... And now, you won't be bothered with me much anymore." My tone escalated to near anger, and I was close to tears. Masaya flinched back.

"Shizawa told me that if I did anything, she'd set the school on me. That I'd lose everything..." He didn't have to say anything more. My view of him sank even lower. I bowed my head, clenching my jaw and counting to ten slowly. Irritation was clouding my mind. I had to calm down.

"Masaya. Don't. Please." I murmured, pressing a hand to my eyes, which were misting over with tears. He stopped mid-sentence.

"Why, Ichigo? I love you. Really, and truly, and I mean it. I've always meant it, and I've always been faithful. Isn't that all we need to succeed?" He said, defending himself as hard as he could. He was fighting.

"No, it isn't. I don't want to have bruises on my face because my boyfriend was too much of a chicken to defend me!" I cried, tears exploding from my angry eyes. He took a step back from me, anguish filling his eyes.

"I'm so... so.. sorry..." He whispered brokenly, falling backwards onto the bench with a faint thump. I was trembling all over, from both anger and cold. It was chilly out. I let my mind wander slightly, trying to calm myself down futilely. _Breathe, Ichigo, breathe. _I reminded myself. I inhaled sharply.

"I don't think we're going to work, though, Masaya..." I murmured. He nodded weakly.

"Before you go, Ichigo, I want you to know that I love you. Completely and utterly. I'm glad you at least had faith in that. Be happy. Be free." Masaya said, looking up at me with tears shining on his face. A brief, tender smile touched his face. I felt my heart swell with gratefulness.

"Thank you." I said, leaning over him to place a kiss on the top of his head. He closed his eyes, and as I walked away, I did not look back.

I was free.

* * *

ICHIGO POV

As I walked back to Cafe Mew Mew, I felt my heart soar. I was released from all the bitter girls, from all the fears. I wasn't bound to anyone, and that suddenly made me feel lighter than I ever had. I laughed, spinning around in a circle in the street for a moment.

"I'm free!" I sang, twirling around and around. I laughed again before skipping down the sidewalk. I splashed through the puddles now, nearly running back to the Cafe. I was so happy. As soon as I made it back to the Cafe doors, Lettuce threw them open.

"Hurry, Ichigo-san, your mother just called! I said you were in the bathroom, and you'd be out in a moment!" She cried, ushering me in. I grinned at her toothily, my eyes bright.

"Ooooo-kay!" I giggled, answering the phone.

"Hi, Mom, it's Ichigo." I said, smiling.

"Ichigo, do you have much more work to do? Dinner's about to start, and I don't want you to miss it...." My mother was so amazing. She didn't even care I hadn't answered.

"I'll be home in about a half hour, I have to finish up, and then walk home." I said cheerfully.

"Oh. Okay. I'll keep dinner waiting! Bye, honey!" Mom said, hanging up. I laughed.

"Ichigo-onee-chan sure is happy, na no da." Pudding whispered to Shirogane. He smiled.

"Yes, she is. Strawberry, would you be so kind as to inform us why you are so happy?" He asked, leaning back on the wall and crossing his arms. Keiichiro walked out of the kitchen, wiping his hands on his apron.

"Do tell, Ichigo-san." Keiichiro said, smiling.

"Of course, Akasaka-san!" I tittered.

"Well, I went over to Masaya, and told him straight up why I was going to break up with him. He, of course, fought me every step of the way until I snapped. When I got mad, I started crying, and that broke him down. Then, he became a perfect gentleman and let me go! Miracle!" I exclaimed, smiling widely. Everyone around me applauded. Even Minto.

* * *

I bid everyone good night, walking out the doors and waving a final time. As soon as I began to close the door, another pair of hands stopped me. It was Shirogane.

"Do you mind if I walk you home?" He asked, shutting the doors behind us. I shook my head. His eyes were very nice with his hair, I noted absentmindedly.

Oh no.

Did I just think that... About Shirogane?!

This confirmed my suspiscions about me. And him.

"Not at all." I said, smiling.

"You've been smiling so much I'm amazed your face hasn't wrinkled from all the effort." He said blandly, stuffing his hands in his pocket. I gasped.

"Shirogane-san, you're so.... so... I DON'T BELIEVE YOU!!" I huffed, storming ahead of him. He laughed from behind me.

"I get done with a horrible break-up, and you taunt me! Ohhhh, would you just stop teasing sometimes?" I muttered, stomping along.

"I'm just joking, Strawberry. Chill." Shirogane made me SO mad sometimes.

"I'm perfectly 'chilled', thank you." I said, composing myself and tilting my head up. This brought about another peal of laughter from the normally silent high school student. All the way home, we argued on and off, laughing occasionally. When we finally made it to my house, I was a little sad.

"Well, good night, Shirogane." I murmured, waving to him from my front porch. He only smiled once before heading off in the opposite direction.

I watched his back fade into the shadows, my eyes following him until he disappeared into the darkness.

**Weeeeeeeeeeeeell, there you have it! **

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**It's thanks to chibiprincess19, KyoxSakiFan, Midnite Neko, Lonely Little Sparrow-chan, and dbzgtfan2004 that you got this chapter so early!! Thank you all so much for your lovely reviews :) **

**~Nightfall26**


	3. The Wrath of Shizawa!

**And at long last, the new chapter has arisen from the depths! Haha. I'm really sorry for the wait. I've been busy.**

**Thanks, Cherrie S. xx, for being my beta! You're the best!! :)**

**~nightfall26**

_

* * *

_

ICHIGO

* * *

When I woke up the next morning, I was late. As usual. After smashing my pillow into the alarm clock, attempting futilely to _shut the obnoxious noise off!_ I was horrified to realize how late I actually was, and scrambled out of bed. I yanked on my uniform, tugged a brush through my hair, and brushed my teeth. I grabbed my bag and phone off my dresser, stopping only to check the screen of my phone. There were no new messages.

"Hmm. Usually, Masaya sends me something before I wake up... He's always up so early," I muttered, tossing my phone into my bag. It was then that I realized Masaya wouldn't be sending me any more messages. We'd broken up last night. Right. I remembered now. Instead of the eerie cheerfulness I'd felt last night, I felt oddly drained. I shrugged the feeling off and dashed down the stairs, grabbing a bagel and stuffing on my shoes.

"I'm off to school, Mom! Bye-bye!" I cried, waving once before sprinting out the door.

"Bye, honey, have a--" The door slammed. "--good day..."

Sakura Momomiya chuckled once to herself. "She always wakes up late. So much for a family breakfast..." She huffed and looked back at the lovely meal she'd slaved over. "Too bad."

I ran down the streets of Tokyo as fast as I could, a piece of buttered toastin my mouth and bag in hand. Once I got to school, I skidded to a stop and walked in through the front doors. I sighed in relief as I saw that I was actually on time now.

"Good job, Ichigo!" I giggled to myself.

"Ichigo?" It was Moe. Miwa was by her side, looking confused.

"We heard from some girls earlier that you'd broken up with Aoyama-san. Is that true?" Moe asked quietly, looking puzzled. I nodded slowly.

"Yeah… I just couldn't take all the drama anymore. It was time to end it." I felt very serious all of a sudden, which was very unlike me. Miwa patted my back, looking sympathetic.

"It's okay, Ichigo, we'll stand by you. We understand all your problems with the girls. Good for you!" She smiled, and we set off down the hallway together. I grinned widely, appreciating my friends.

Once I got to class, however, I saw Shizawa and a few boys discussing something, and I didn't need to guess what. Several of them threw furtive glances at me. I ducked my head and hurried to my desk, sitting down hurriedly, hoping she wouldn't notice me.

"Oh, look, it's Momomiya," Shizawa sang, right on cue, trotting to my desk and sitting on the edge of it. I stared up at her, trying to keep my gaze as emotionless as possible.

"Hi, Shizawa," I said tersely, looking away. She grasped my chin tightly in her hand, her long nails scraping against my cheek.

"Look at me when you're speaking to me," she hissed, her deep green eyes filled with hatred. I stared into them, my muscles paralyzed with anxiety.

"Now, isn't that better? So, I heard a little tidbit of information… That you broke up with Aoyama-kun. How... interesting…" Shizawa smirked, and flipped her raven hair over one shoulder. I smiled fakely.

"Yup, I did. Simply couldn't take all the attention I was being showered with!" I laughed brusquely, standing up and switching seats. Shizawa followed me.

"Come with me. Now." Her voice was a low mutter, and she grabbed my arm roughly. I protested, squeaking slightly as she dragged me out of the classroom.

"We need to get some things straight. You dumped Aoyama-san as soon as you were done with him, correct? So a few of my friends here would like to make you pay for breaking his heart. I can't believe you, Momomiya." Her voice was disgusted, and she slapped me across the face. I reeled backwards from the blow, struggling to keep myself upright. I watched as four other girls emerged from another class, the senior class, and walked towards me.

"Momomiya Ichigo, right?" one of them asked. I nodded stiffly and bowed my head respectfully.

"I'm not sure what you mean by all of these accusations against me and Aoyama-san," I said, hoping that my goody-two-shoes reputation would save me on this occasion. But I saw it in the older girls' eyes that it would not.

"You dumped Aoyama-san! We want to know why!" a blonde demanded furiously, her eyes filled with tears. "He's such a good person, and you brought him down. He lost his kendo match today, and he's already failed a test. Soon, his grades are going to start slipping, and his reputation will collapse. It's all you're doing, Momomiya. How could you stand to watch him fall as he is?" The blonde walked up to me and shoved me backwards. I adjusted my balance, sucking a nervous breath into my lungs.

"I broke up with him because of all the rumors about me-" I began. Shizawa pushed me to the side and spoke over me.

"Momomiya had the good will to tell me all of her problems. She's too distressed to speak at the moment, so I shall speak for her. She broke up with Aoyama-san because she simply was tired of him, and wanted a new boyfriend. So as you see, she's done it for entirely selfish reasons." Shizawa's voice was confident.

"That's a lie!" I cried, feeling tears of helplessness bubble to my eyes. How could they believe her over me? The blonde girl, of whom I knew as Kimara-san, stepped forward again and looked me in the eye. I kept my gaze steady, staring into the blue depths as strongly as I could without wavering. Her own eyes were filled with angry disgust.

"I thought you were a better girl than this, Momomiya. I recommended you for the gymnastics team, remember?" another girl called, and the blonde's brow furrowed. Without a warning, she, too, slapped me across the face. How much of this was I going to have to take? Would it get worse? A sense of dread came over me, and as the girls circled around me, I tried and failed to run away from them. Shizawa yanked me back, and I felt bruises begin to blossom across my face again as they began their torture.

"Don't even think of going back into the classroom, Momomiya. Not when you look like this," Shizawa muttered scathingly. "Or you'll be facing much worse than just a little beating."

The words were a clear threat. I, however, had never been one to stand down, and I pushed the door open, not bothering to hide my tears. The teacher exclaimed in surprise, and the class began to murmur anxiously. I was sure I was a sight. A bloodied, bruised mess. My hair was in tangles, and my uniform off kilter. The teacher asked me what happened and I shook my head. Shizawa sighed audibly.

"Teacher, it was terrible. These girls attacked her, and beat her down. I tried to stop them, but they made me stand and watch," she said innocently, with a great air of dismay. I glared at her with as much hatred as I could muster.

This was war.

* * *

By the time I got to the cafe, I was bruised again. Shirogane greeted me at the door, escorting me inside. The Mews gasped in fright, and swarmed around me in distress. I waved them off and sank down into a chair to cry.

"Strawberry..." Shirogane whispered. I directed a weak shove towards him, and shook my head.

"Leave me alone," I rasped, sobbing into my arms. Shirogane sat down next to me.

"I won't leave you alone until you tell me what happened," he ordered.

I shook my head. "Not your business, Shirogane. Just go away." I turned away from him.

"Ichigo Momomiya, I'm going to dock your pay again if you don't tell me what happened!" His voice was desperate. I could hear his worry behind the threat, and I shook my head again weakly.

"I know you don't mean it." With that, I stood up.

"I'm going to change."

I went into the changing rooms, and locked the door. I examined myself. I looked awful. My hair was rumpled, and my uniform torn in a few places. I had told the principal about Shizawa and the other girls, but I knew it wouldn't end there. I wanted to move away, to sink into the floor and never come back. Maybe I could contact Kish... Maybe he could take me away for a little while. I silently changed into my waitress outfit, and pulled my hair down to hang around my face. Someone knocked on the door.

"Ichigo, are you decent?" It was Zakuro. I sighed.

"Yeah," I replied tiredly. There was no use in trying to tell Zakuro there was nothing wrong. She'd get scary. So I unlocked the door, and allowed her to walk in.

"What happened? Don't sugar-coat it. I want the truth," she said sternly, putting her hand on her hip. I nodded, and sat down on a chair. I began my story with my successful breakup, and how I had thought it would be alright.

"And then, today, at school, Shizawa met me. She had several girls beat me up, and now I have more bruises. Really, can't they see I'm the one that's right here? I'm trying so hard... and _nothing's_ working." I felt tears begin to overwhelm me. Zakuro patted my back gently, comfortingly.

"Girls are difficult creatures. I'm sure they feel very protective of Aoyama-san, since he seems like such a knight in shining armor. But ultimately, they're hoping that Shizawa won't bring this on them. It's all about fear," Zakuro mused, and reached into her purse.

"Now, the best revenge is happiness. Seriously. If you show them fear and insecurity, they'll make it worse. But if they see you're happy, then they will lose face." She pulled out a bottle of cover-up.

"Here. I'll help you smear this on over your bruises. The other girls are outside waiting to see you. Don't fake it, give it to them straight," Zakuro said, and she smiled at me. Gently, she helped me put the make-up on. I felt so grateful right then that I wrapped my arms around the older girl.

"Thank you, Zakuro. Really," I murmured. She smiled again in response, and escorted me outside. Shirogane met me outside.

And so I began to tell him. Once I had finished my story, he surprised me by looking angry.

"Just remember that you can talk to me, you know, and..." He bit the rest of his statement off and leaned over to embrace me. I was startled by the sudden act of affection, and found myself leaning into it. I felt my face redden slightly at the contact, and closed my eyes. He pulled away hurriedly, the rush of cold air was a distant reminder that I had to tell the Mews as well.

"Thanks, Shirogane," I whispered. He smirked.

"Anytime, Strawberry. Just don't be an idiot, and you'll be fine." He flicked my nose, and grinned at me. I huffed, puffing out my cheeks in frustration, and stomped on his toe as hard as I could. He didn't flinch, just shook his head and walked away.

And so, I walked into the kitchen to inform the other Mews of my situation.

* * *

_MASAYA_

* * *

I couldn't believe it. I'd seen Shizawa and Ichigo together, and watched as all the other girls had beaten her to the ground. I'd winced every time they landed a blow on her. No wonder Ichigo had broken up with me – all I ever did was _watch_.

But still, Shizawa needed my support.

So here I stood.

I waited for a moment, and watched as she walked up out of the shadows.

"Ma-sa-yaaa!" she trilled, skipping to my side. I smiled at her.

"Shizawa, where were you first period today?" I asked. She wrinkled her brow in thought, and shrugged.

"I have no idea. Probably in class. But I guess I forgot. I forget things a lot, don't I, onii-san?"

* * *

**There you have it. Alrighty then, 3 reviews now! **

**3 REVIEWS, OR NO NEXT CHAPTERRR! EVER!**

**:)**

**~nightfall26**


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